Safety poison-feeding device for ants and the like



A. WElL Jan. 12, 1954 I SAFETY POISON-FEEDING DEVICE FOR ANTS AND THE LIKE Filed March 5, 1947 FIGZ FIG!

FIG.4

FIG.5

FIG.8

mm F INVENTOR ALEX WElL FIG.9'

- ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED POISON-FEEDING DEVICE FOR THE LIKE e e Wait New Y k, Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,392 43: 2.

This invention relates to devices for makin accessible to insects, such as ants and the like, poisonous food-lures and the like.

one of the objects of this invention is to pro- .ide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of the. aboyermentioned character that will be capable of being handled, used, or installed .with safety to human beings, animal pets, and the like. Another obi act is to provide a safety poisonfeeding device of the above-mentioned character that will be non-spillable, easy and simple to refill, and adaptable to a wide variety of shapes .or'conformationsas might be desired "to meet various peculiar conditions of use. Another object is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which will not require any particular skill in placement thereof in strategic locations and yet embodies safety or protective features preventing accidental or intentional access to or con-tact with its poisonous contents by human beings, animals, and the like. Another object is to provide devices of the above-mentioned charactor that will be simple and inexpensivelto fabricate and to charge or refill with the poisonous or like material 'or insecticide. is -to provide a device of the above-mentioned character and a refill device therefor to insure facility and safety of charging or refilling. Another object is to provide devices of the'laboyementioned character that will besimple and inexpensiv to package for shipment, display, or sale and with adequate safeguards against access .to .or contact with the poisonous contents thereof. Another object is, in .general, to provide an improved device of the above-mentioned character, and other objects will be .in part obvious or in p t pointed .out hereinafter.

The invention according-1y consists in the features o co uc ion. combinat n of elements. and a ran me .o pa ts as .be exem l fie e structure to be he 8 score o th o indicate i the and Another object Figs. 5 a d 6 are f nt eleva ns o a d nc ke that o ie 1 s owi i m n ary sontral o tudi al vert al se ti n t er me hanical features of assembly;

Figs. '7 and 8 are central vertical sectional .yieyvs of mo f ed embodi en s ca ab e, fo exam le. o outdoo us an c ucte o oast with soil or th ke r upp r n opera ve osition; and

Fi 9 is a ver i al se ti nal view, sh w n t e coaegting structural relationship between the above devices and a refilling device.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing. v Referring first to Fig. 1, out of any suitable material -I provide a completely closed container, generally designated bythe reference character .6, and .illustratively it may be shaped or constructed in any suitable manner to provide in- .terior .walls or surfaces W which, in transverse cross-section, are preferably circular and may be of uniform diameter throughout, being ,closed off at the respective ends of the otherwise tubelike structure by any suitable means or conformation of the material ,of the container .0 itself; in axial length the closed container '0' of a dimension which is preferably a multiple of the inside diameterof the walls W. Preferably at its midpoint lengthwise, as viewed in Fig." 1; the

completely closed container .0 is provided with a pair of tubular elements Ill-41 (see also'Eig. -2-) which are preferably of circular cross-section and preferably of uniform diameter, being coaxial-ly aligned to be in juxtaposition to" each o er; conveniently by seating and securing the ele ents Illl [in suitable diametrically opposed hol'e's' l2 and I3, respectivelyW'Fig.Q)", D iovided in the material of the container C. A'n'y t amemea i's -{fray be employed tolsecurefand seal t elements in p ace. If theniaterial1s':ein: p il fidi 1 1 .5 d m ti a su ta 5 5 Q F Q-fit Y .$l i;m n b'l d; J if .th PQr t e? 5 ih li 1. i i of .nqnrn'ietalllo materialfsuch as molded cured plasticsfthe tubular elements 1 0+1] be force fit'ted therein," cemented th s'ertedand then .exr'iandec'l olrlp nto sition therein';' or, if the tubular ele n p the'part'that haslthe nmeser ot i rniifijmetelncl at'erial;.tl r rmer may peeon e nn osmosis dia ies h oloso so ite sor placed the poisonousma rial indi- VQP 3 or semi-liquid, and for ants preferably being of a sirupy consistency, embodying sweets such as sugar as well as the lethal or poisonous material. In any case such material has or can develop the characteristic of flow or movement relative to the inside walls of the container C. It is included in the device in an amount such that at whatever angle the device C is placed, even with one of the tubular. elements IUH at the bottom, the level of the liquid or'semi-liquid material P never reaches the inner end of either of the tubular elements li i. Thus, as viewed in Fig. 2, the maximum depth of the material P.is less than the amount that any of the elements I0H project inwardly from the wall W of the con tainer. Should the container C, as viewed in Fig. 1, rest on an inclined surface, with one of the tubular elements lllll at the bottom, the material P is still insuificient in amount to reach the inner end of a tubular element, and should i to the container to maintain the just-described -'non-spilling relationships for whatever position the structure might be in.

The device may thus be packaged and shipped already charged with flowable poisonous material. When placed in location where ants or like insects are objectionable, these non-spill features make 'the locating or positioning of the device entirely safe and thus strategic locations may be selected without material risk of contaminating 'the surroundings or of endangering unwarranted handling of the device or of endangering household pets, etc. Furthermore, probing for the contents of the device by a child is well guarded against, for the only openings are thus provided :bythe pair or pairs of opposed tubular elements 'and the insertion of a probe or an instrument into the outer opening of any one tubular element results in guiding the probe or instrument -.,directly into or through the opposed tubular ele- ..ment, without picking up any of the poisonous .material. As indicated in the drawing, the spacing between the inner ends of opposed tubular elements is preferably such in relation to the length and cross-sectional area of the tubular element that the inner end of one element is not bypassed by a relatively thin instrument inserted angularly through the other tubular element.

V For charging the device with poisonous liquid material, I provide a nozzle-like element N, shown in Fig. 9, this element being tubular and small "enough to pass through one of the tubular elements, and which has a passageway Hi that extends from its right-hand end toward the discharge end where the passageway terminates a lateral branch or discharge vent is. At the right-hand end the nozzle N is provided with suitable means, indicated at [6, to limit its entry into the selected tubular element, such as element H of the device, to such an extent that the lateral discharge vent just reaches beyond the selected tubular element 1 I but cannot reach the opposed tubular element I0. Accordingly, the discharge of the poisonous material from the charging element N cannot be directed into the opposedtubular element and, instead, is directed clear of both-of 4 the opposed tubular elements and into the interior of the container or device. Conveniently the part N may be constructed as part of a suitable dispensing container, indicated at H in Fig. 9, which can conveniently be in the form of a collapsible metal tube, of which the part 16 is an end wall and with which the part N may be integrally constructed. By squeezing the collapsible tube i'i, its contents, which canbe in an amount to achieve the above-described non-spilling action in relation to the dimensions of the other parts, can thus be injected, without risk of contamination in handling the dispensing container, into the device.

While the container C can be molded of one piece of plastic or formed of a one-piece metal casting, or of two molded halves cemented or soldered together it is also possible to assemble the container in other ways. In the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 the tubular part of the container is provided with integral annular rings and flanges I8, I9 and 28. Middle flange I8 is preferably polygonal on its external surfaces to provide a series of faces 2! in some Flanges i9 and 2B are preferably larger than flange 13 so that when the container rests on a fiat surface flange it will be. held spaced from the surface to permit access to tubes Ill and H in case one of them happens to be in the lowermost position. This permits ants or other insects to enter the tubes to reach the poison.

Flanges l8, l5 and 23 may be molded integrally with container C- as shown in Figures 1 and 2 or applied to the tubular portion of the container as separate elements as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5. According to Figure 3 ring element 23, corresponding to central flange iii of Figure l, is slipped over tubular part 2 5 of the container. Ring 23 and tube 24 are provided with registering openings into which tubes i0 and II are pressed to lock the members together.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 the container C is formed of a tubular section 25 which has holes for four feeder tubes H), I i in its middle portion. Outer ring 26, provided with four registering holes, is placed over tube 25 and two pairs of tubes 10 and H inserted to lock the assembly together. In the sectional view of Figure 4, end flange I9 is shown behind flange 26 to indicate the relative size which permits tubes H), H to be held off the ground or floor.

Figure 5 shows another embodiment in which the two end halves of the container comprise cuplike elements 28 and 29 having end flanges 30 and 31 either integrally formed thereon or attached thereto. Middle ring section 32 is provided with oppositely disposed annular seats 33 in which the rims of cups 2B and 29 are cemented to complete the container.

According to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 one of the cup-like ends 34 of the container is provided with an integral central flange guided away from the passageways leading to the outside and will drip back into the container 'from the lips provided by he flared ends of the tubes.

Figure '7 illustrates a modified embodiment of the device and comprises a container 40 which is ball-like in shape and may preferably be sub stantially spherical, or at least rounded. This container may be formed of two halves molded of plastic and cemented together or cast or pressed of metal and soldered together along a central vertical plane indicated by the reference numeral 41in the drawing. Pairs of feeder tubes [0 and H are force-fitted, cemented or soldered into the sides of container 49 so as to extend horizontally, although it is not necessary in all cases that axes of the pairs of tubes be horizontal. One or more pairs of tubes 19 and I I may be provided. Figure 7 shows one pair in section and the inner end of a tube H) of another pair. As many pairs of tubes-may be provided as can be conveniently accommodated by the container. The outer surface of the container is provided with a projection or boss 42 having a threaded recess therein in which is screwed a pin 43 to permit mounting the device in earth, sod or other soft surfaces. During shipment pin 43 may be slipped into one of the pairs of tubes Ill and H of the container and screw caps or plugs placed in the outer ends of the tubes to seal the container and hold the pin protected and concealed for shipment. The outer ends of tubes I0, H are threaded at 44 to receive screw caps.

It is oobvious that flaring feeder tubes 38 and 39 can be used in the modification of Figure 7 as well as the other forms of the device illustrated. Likewise while flaring tubes 38 and 39 are each shown formed of a single piece of material molded in flaring shape it is possible to use :a straight metal tube and either enlarge the end to form a flange or secure a separate flange element to a straight tube of metal or plastic.

Figure 8 shows a further modification of the :device which comprises a cigar-shaped or fountain-pen shaped container 45 molded of palstic or metal. This may conveniently be formed of .two identical molded halves which are cemented together along a longitudinal central plane 48 indicated by dotted lines in Figure 8. Feeder tube portions 41 and 43 may be molded integrally with the halves of the container. Likewise an external central flange 49 may be integrally molded in the parts, this flange having a noncircular cross section, such as a hexagonal section to prevent the device from rolling if it is laid on a flat or sloping surface. Moreover, flange 49 may preferably have a central hollow or annular channel 50 in the region where the holes of feeder tubes ll and 48 come to the outer surface of the container. Thus also the annular channel 56 subdivides the hexagonal flange 49 into two axially-spaced hexagonal flanges intermediate of which are the apertures from which the tube portions 41 and 48 extend inwardly. Thus the openings of feeder tubes will remain accessible when the device is resting on a flat surface. The device may be shipped already charged with poisonous liquid or syrup 5! therein and the passages of feeder tubes 41 and 48 closed with a pair of thumb-screws 52 threaded into the holes. Thumb-screws are removed when the device is put into operation. This modification of the invention provides a very convenient form of the device for mounting both in the earth and inside of buildings. When mounted in earth or s end openings.

sod 53, as shown'in Figure 8, one end of the cigar-- shaped container is merely forced into the soil to a depth sufficientto hold it in place but not deep enough to cover the openings of feeder tubes 4'! and 48. This permitsthe ants or other insects to reach the feeder tubes and enter the container. If the device is used in a building it may be simply laid on the floor or on a shelf where; due to non-circular flange 49 it will stay in position and will not roll. a

Any poisonous. substance having means embodied in it to attract ants or the insects for which the device is intended may be used inside the container, such as a mixture of arsenic and sugar syrup or thallium sulphate and syrup .or various other suitable mixtures It will be seen that an efficient .and substantially foolproof ant and insect poisoning device has been provided which is neat and compact in appearance, made of relatively few parts and which retains the poison in a position readily'accessible to insects but practically inaccessible to children or casual explorers without practical destruction of the device. The device is adaptable to mounting-in either house, greenhouse or in the field or golf links and can be conveniently .charged'and recharged with poison at will. i a! The preferred forms of the device illustrated in the drawing are characterized by continuously concavely rounded inner surfaces and by the absence of corners or disconformities from which the flowable poisonous filling material could dr ip or splash in such a manner as to travel outof the container through the feeder tubes. The

. bases of the feeder tubes are disposed in the hollow of the concave surface so that if the container is tilted thereby causing the mass of flow-'- able material, paste, syrup, or the like to'flow around the base of a tube its easiest course is to cling to and follow the curved wall rather than travel out the tubes toward their inner- The tubes themselves are .a-r ranged in pairs in such-opposed relation that removal of poison with a probe is practically impossible. At the same time the tubes are kept to a minimum length and hence the interior is readily accessible to ants or other insects. By providing flat faces or inwardly curved portions on the flanges in which the feeder tubes are mounted the lengths of the feeder tube passages are reduced.

While the present invention, as to its objects and advantages, has been described herein as carried out in specific embodiments thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereby but it is intended to cover the invention broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A poison feeder for ants or the like comprising an elongated tube-like container having closed ends and having externally thereof and spaced from each other in the direction of the axis of said container two projecting flange-like means presenting companion non-circular contact faces for non-rolling engagement with a surface on which the feeder is placed, said tubelike container having a portion intermediate of said two spaced flange-like means that has two opening therein on opposite sides of the axis of said tube-like container and two tubes, one for each opening, extending towards said axis and toward each other, said tubes terminating with their inner ends substantially juxtaposed and separated from each other by a distance so proportioned in relation to the length and cross sectional area of the tube that'the inner end of one tube cannot be by-passed by a relatively thin instrument inserted angularly through the other tube, said container adapted to hold therein a quantity of poison lure of a depth not exceeding the distance from the inner end of a tube to the inner wall of said container and said tubes providing unobstructed entry and exit for ants or the like, said intermediate portion of said container being of an expanse transversely of said axis less than the expanse of said two spaced flange-like means, whereby, should the feeder be positioned with one of said openings lowermost, said flange-like means holds said lowermost opening away from the supporting surface and free from obstruction thereby.

2. A poison feeder as claimed in claim 1 in which said intermediate portion of said tubelike container comprises flange-like means extending about the tube-like container, thereby to increase the wall thickness of the container at said intermediate portion and to give said two tubes stronger support.

3. A poison feeder as claimed in claim 1 in which said closed ends of said tube-like coni tainer extend respectively beyond said two spaced flange-like means and are substantially hemispherical in external contour.

4. A poison feeder as claimed in claim 1 in which said closed ends of said tube-like container extend respectively beyond said two spaced flange-like means and terminate in substantially pointed external contours, whereby said device may also be installed with its axis vertical, by thrusting a pointed end into the ground.

5. A poison feeder as claimed in claim 1 in which said tube-like container comprises at least three parts of which said intermediate portion with said openings is one, said three parts having engaging mating portions for aligning them co-axially, and means securing said three parts against axial separation.

6. A poison feeder as claimed in claim 1 in which said tube-like container comprises at least two parts, said intermediate portion being integral with one of said parts and the other part and said intermediate portion having interfitting and mating portions for aligning said two parts co-axially, and means securing the two parts together.

7. A poison feeder for ants or the like comprising a container having therein a poisonous material in a volume less than the interior volume of the container, said container being substantially sealed excepting for spill-preventing passages that furnish free entry and exit for ants or the like, said passages comprising aligned openings in opposed portions of the wall of the container, said openings having tubes extending therefrom and toward each other with their axes substantially aligned with the line of said openings, the inner and outer ends of each tube being internally of substantially the same crosssectional shape and area thereby to limit the angle which a thin probe inserted through any tube may make with the tube axis and presenting end faces about the inner open ends of the tubes for spaced juxtaposition to each other, with the inner ends of opposed tubes terminating in spaced relation to each other by a distance so related to the dimensions of the tubes that a straight line passed through one tube at any angle, within the restricted range of angles permitted by the aforesaid relation of the cross-sectional area at the inner and outer ends of the tube, cannot bypass the inner end face of the opposed tube, thus preventing access to the poisonous material.

ALEX WEIL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,352,562 Tokash Sept. 14, 1920 1,364,9e9 Niewinski Jan. 11, 1921 1,378,048 Maziarz May 17, 1921 1,394,626 Koch Oct. 25, 1921 1,506,324 Owens Aug. 26, 1924 1,562,397 Whelchel Nov. 17, 1925 1,579,111 I-Iinkson Mar. 20, 1926 1,588,302 Brooks June 8, 1926 1,718,432 Qualmann June 25, 1929 1,729,389 Hughett Sept. 24, 1929 1,769,408 Andrews July 1, 1930 1,811,896 Ross June 30, 1931 1,932,732 Hemple Oct. 31, 1933 1,934,214 Stimson Nov. 7, 1933 1,964,097 Van Doren June 26, 1934 

